# Is "The Difference Engine" by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling (Victor Gollancz, London, 1990) is identified by: First UK Gollancz hardcover, London, 1990, in the publisher's boards under a pictorial wraparound dust jacket with cover art by Ian Miller; the copyright page carries the statement First published in Great Britain 1990. The UK Gollancz hardcover (1990) is the true first, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition of 1991.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First UK Gollancz hardcover, London, 1990, in the publisher's boards under a pictorial wraparound dust jacket with cover art by Ian Miller; the copyright page carries the statement First published in Great Britain 1990
- The first-state jacket is priced on the flap (the printed price should be present)
- Foundational steampunk collaboration
- Publisher imprint reads Victor Gollancz, London
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | William Gibson and Bruce Sterling |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz, London |
| Year | 1990 |
| True first | UK edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First UK Gollancz hardcover, London, 1990, in the publisher's boards under a pictorial wraparound dust jacket with cover art by Ian Miller… |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
First UK Gollancz hardcover, London, 1990, in the publisher's boards under a pictorial wraparound dust jacket with cover art by Ian Miller; the copyright page carries the statement First published in Great Britain 1990. The first-state jacket is priced on the flap (the printed price should be present). Foundational steampunk collaboration.

## Is this the true first?
The UK Gollancz hardcover (1990) is the true first, preceding the US Bantam Spectra edition of 1991.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The US Bantam edition (1991) and US book-club editions are later; a club edition typically shows a rear-board gutter blindstamp and an unpriced jacket. Confirm the Gollancz imprint, the 1990 date, and the First published in Great Britain 1990 line.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Difference Engine* by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-difference-engine
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.